On our plates: Torey had the carnitas tacos (priced from $1.75 each a la carte to $5.25 as a combo plate) with beans and rice and bottled water. I had the carnitas burrito a la carte ($4.95) with a soda ($1.49 for a small, $1.59 for a medium, $1.69 for a large).

The bill: The taco combo, a la carte burrito and drinks set us back $13.36.

The good: Griselda's has successfully taken Tex-Mex to the state buffet line. A frequent customer at Griselda's told me that the pozole (a type of Mexican stew offered only on Mondays) is terrific. Ditto for the great greasy-spoon breakfast burritos. Torey was pleased with the amount of food on her plate: "Good portions but not monster size." The carnitas was tender, moist and "very spicy," she said. My burrito was about as big as my two fists, and the carnitas virtually melted in my mouth. Spicy? You betcha, but not the sweat-inducing spicy that can make you wish you could disconnect your tongue.

The bad: Torey's rice was dry and the beans, she said, "weren't great ... but I'm not a bean fan." The food service can bog down, since the buffet line is in a fairly narrow space that can't accommodate more than a handful of customers before it clogs. And during the legislative off-season, the place looks barren, with empty service counters and display cases creating a stark feel.